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Functional neuroanatomy of language and its disordersA Concise Overview

By: Shimon Neuman

AnteriorTerminologyPosteriorSuperiorInferior

Frontal LobeParietal LobeTemporal LobeOccipital LobeTerminology

Brocas AreaWernickes Area(Rohrer et al., 2007)5

Planning the messageOccurs in the prefrontal cortex.

What can go wrong?Dynamic Aphasia: inability to plan a message. In its pure form no other area of language production or comprehension is impaired.

(Robinson, Blair, & Cipolotti, 1998)

Accessing the concepts Occurs in the middle and inferior temporal gyri.

What can go wrong?Semantic Dementia: inability to access semantic data. (Semantic memory loss)Transcortical sensory aphasia: compromised naming and comprehension skills.

(Hickok, 2009; Rohrer et al., 2007)

Accessing the phonologic properties of the wordsOccurs posterior superior temporal sulcus and middle temporal gyrus.

What can go wrong?Transcortical sensory aphasia: Naming and auditory comprehension is compromised

(Gow, 2012)

Accessing the sensory and motor properties of the wordsOccurs in the inferior parietal region including the supramarginal gyrus.

What can go wrong?Wernicke's aphasia: Difficulty understanding and producing meaningful language

(Gow, 2012; Rohrer et el,. 2007)Transferring to the Frontal Lobe

The arcuate fasciculus (red and green in MRI image top and schematic bottom)connects the temporal lobe to the frontal lobe.

(Rilling & Glasser, 2008)What can go wrong?

Anomic Aphasia: Difficulty retrieving words. In its pure form no other aspect of language is compromised.

(Fridriksson, Kjartansson, Morgan, Hjaltason, & Magnusdottir, 2010)

Accessing the correct grammarOccurs in the inferior posterior frontal gyrus (Brocas area.)What can go wrong?Non fluent aphasia: Inability to produce fluent speech.

(Broca, 1861)

Preparing and organizing the phonologyOccurs in the inferior posterior frontal gyrus (Brocas area.)What can go wrong?Non fluent aphasia: Inability to produce fluent speech.

(Broca, 1861)

Motor planningOccurs in:Brocas areaLeft insulaSubcortical Regions

What can go wrong?Non fluent aphasia: Inability to produce fluent speech.

(Ogar, Slama, Dronkers, Amici, & Gorno-Tempini, 2005; Beal, 2005)

Executing the articulationInvolves the motor neuron tract.

What can go wrong?Ataxic dysarthriaHyperkinetic dysarthriaHypokinetic dysarthriaSpastic dysarthriaFlaccid dysarthria

(McCaffrey, 1999)

Ataxic dysarthria

Effects the cerebellar

Symptoms:

Responsible for:Fine Movement CoordinationMuscle Tone(McCaffrey, 1999; "Mixed Dysarthria," n.d.)Articulation:Irregular articulatory breakdowns.Irregular speech alternating motion rate (AMR).Distorted vowels

Prosody:Excess and equal stressExcess loudness variations

Hyperkinetic dysarthria

Effects the Extrapyramidal tract, specifically the basalganglia

Symptoms:Responsible for:involuntary reflexes and movement(McCaffrey, 1999; "Mixed Dysarthria," n.d.)Respiration:Audible inspirationSudden forced inspirationPhonation:Harsh voiceVoice tremorShortness of breathArticulation:Distorted vowelsIrregular articulatory breakdownsSlow/irregular AMRsResonance:Intermittent hypernasality

Prosody:Inappropriate silencesExcessive loudness variationsvariable patterns of stress and rateHypokinetic dysarthria

Effects the Substantia nigra

Symptoms:Responsible for:Control of voluntary Movement

Respiration:Decreased vital capacityShallow breathingUncoordinated chest/diaphragmPhonation:Harsh & breathy voicePeriods of dysphonia

Articulation:Distorted & incorrect productionof phonemesIncorrect consonant blendingPalilaliaReplacing stops with fricatives

Resonance:Minimal hypernasality

Prosody:MonopitchMonoloudnessReduced stressInappropriate silencesVariable rate

(McCaffrey, 1999; "Mixed Dysarthria," n.d.)Spastic dysarthria

Effects the pyramidaltract

Symptoms:Responsible for:Transmission of voluntary Movement

Phonation:Breathy voice Strained-strangled vocal qualityLow pitchHarshnessPitch breaks

Articulation:Imprecise consonantsSlow rateShort phrasesDistorted vowels

Resonance:Hypernasality

Prosody:Reduced, excess, & equal stressMonoloudnessMonopitch

(McCaffrey, 1999; "Mixed Dysarthria," n.d.)Phonation:Breathy & harsh voice Audible inspirationShort phrases

Articulation:Imprecise consonants

Flaccid dysarthria

Effects motor units of cranial or spinal nerves Symptoms:Responsible for:Transmission of voluntary Movement

Resonance:Hypernasality

Prosody:MonoloudnessMonopitch

(McCaffrey, 1999; "Mixed Dysarthria," n.d.)References

Beal, J. A. (2005, November 30). Frontal (Coronal) section of the brain [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Human_brain_frontal_%28coronal%29_section_description_2.JPG

Broca, P. P. (1861). Loss of speech, chronic softening and partial destruction of the anterior left lobe of the brain. Bulletin de la Socit Anthropologique, 2, 235-238.

Fridriksson, J., Kjartansson, O., Morgan, P. S., Hjaltason, H., & Magnusdottir, S. (2010). Impaired speech repetition and left parietal lobe damage. The Journal of Neuroscience, 30(33), 11057-11061.

Gow, D. W., Jr. (2012). The cortical organization of lexical knowledge: A dual lexicon model of spoken language processing. Brain Language, 121(3), 273-288. http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.bandl.2012.03.005

References

Hickok, G. (2009). The functional neuroanatomy of language. Physics of Life Reviews, 6(3), 121-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2009.06.001

McCaffrey, P. (1999). Dysarthria at a glance [Fact sheet]. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://www.csuchico.edu/~pmccaffrey//CMSD642StudyGuide.pdf

Mixed dysarthria. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://mixeddysarthria.wix.com/mixeddysarthria#!

Ogar, J., Slama, H., Dronkers, N., Amici, S., & Gorno-Tempini, M. L. (2005). Apraxia of speech: An overview. Neurocase, 11, 427-432. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13554790500263529

Rilling, J., & Glasser, M. (2008, March 24). Wired for language. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2008/03/24-02.html

References

Robinson, G., Blair, J., & Cipolotti, L. (1998). Dynamic aphasia: an inability to select between competing verbal responses? Brain, 121(1), 77-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/121.1.77

Rohrer, J. D., Knight, W. D., Warren, J. E., Fox, N. C., Rossor, M. N., & Warren, J. D. (2007). Word-finding difficulty: a clinical analysis of the progressive aphasias. Brain, 131(1), 8-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/awm251

Stem Cell Treatment. (n.d.). Motor neuron tract [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://stemcelltreatments.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/als-stem-cell-treatment-300x237.jpg

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